


Take My Hand (And Prepare To Fly)

by medeadea



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drinking Games, Extreme Sappiness, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Getting Together, HQ Rarepair Week, Kinda, M/M, Pining, Texting, Unrequited Love, series of drabbles, some light swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-24
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-19 11:09:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3607941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/medeadea/pseuds/medeadea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dull, rhythmic thumps wafted out of the gymnasium.<br/>They stood in a stark and curious contrast to the warming sun that beamed down from an almost frighteningly brilliant sky on his first day of college.<br/>Stepping to the opened door delicately, his floating gaze fell on a moving figure.</p><p>"get." BAM "over." BAM "it!" BAM "get." BAM "over." BAM "it!" BAM "get." BAM "over." BAM "it!" BAM</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for the Haikyuu! Rarepair Week and will be updated every day with a drabble more or less fitting the prompts. I tried to keep it logical and in order since this is one story.  
> I'll add tags for each chapter if it's necessary.
> 
> Proceed with care: I'm no native speaker.  
> I just love this ship too much to let this excellent opportunity go.
> 
> Have fun with my current OTP

Dull, rhythmic thumps wafted out of the gymnasium.  
They stood in a stark and curious contrast to the warming sun that beamed down from an almost frighteningly brilliant sky on his first day of college.  
Stepping to the opened door delicately, his floating gaze fell on a moving figure.

"get." BAM "over." BAM "it!" BAM "get." BAM "over." BAM "it!" BAM "get." BAM "over." BAM "it!" BAM

At first his squinting eyes followed a yellow and blue ball continuously hitting a hand - the floor - wall, the hand - the floor - wall, the hand - the floor - wall, again and again until he looked down beneath the hand, taking in toned arms, neat, jet black hair, a delicate neck disappearing into a black and orange jersey and long legs dressed in black sweatpants.  
Opening his eyes wide in recognition he sucked in a sharp breath.

"Ennoshita-kun?"

The addressed figure flinched but caught the ball effortlessly to turn around and examine the unexpected interrupter. Furrowed brows shot upwards and a strained smile pulled on previously tight lips.

"Akaashi-kun. What a surprise. Do you go here, too?"

Keijis gym shoes plunked on the floor beside him and freeing his feet of his new, still uncomfortable shoes he bent his neck to let his look wander over Ennoshitas slender hands that gripped the volleyball tightly, to his downward turned and slightly red eyes.

"I do. I study media IT. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, come in. It's nice to have a familiar face around, even though _I'm_ here for the film studies."

"Hmmm."

  
The gym shoes squeaked when Keiji stood up. He heard Ennoshita sigh and watched him turn towards the wall again, squaring his shoulders which had lost all their tension during their short conversation.

"Ennoshita-kun, want me to receive your jump serves? I remember you doing them in high school. A little bit of movement always helps me when I'm frustrated about something. Better than just standing around and simply hitting," Keiji suggested.

Ennoshita turned back again and finally opened his eyes fully. His eyebrows pulled up and pleated his forehead slightly. After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably closer to a second of contemplation, he relaxed his face and shrugged.

"You would?"

"Of course."

Keiji stepped over to the other side of the field, pulled his sweater over his head throwing it behind himself and bent his knees. He watched as Ennoshita stepped back and after a moment of consideration and positioning threw the ball up and jumped after it, slamming it towards Keiji without much force.

Keiji received it steadily and sent it back to Ennoshita in a slow arc. He caught it with both hands and went back to his starting point.

After a few repetitions Ennoshitas reserve melted away, his movements became more angular and forceful, his serves a bit unpredictable but still fine to receive neatly, his brow stayed permanently furrowed and his mouth pinched.  
He kept his stare exclusively on the ball; Keiji had the feeling he completely faded out of Ennoshitas awareness and became one with everything that wasn't the ball or whatever plagued the boys' mind this excessively.

Keiji had known Ennoshita as a very reserved person with a permanent smile on his lips who lead his team with words rather than force or intimidation. This unreserved behaviour from such a collected individual surprised him.

Slowly their pace increased until Ennoshita was running and jumping back and forth as fast as possible. The sounds of his laboured breath filled the room along with his squeaking steps and the slapping of the ball against their skin.

Keijis forearms had turned bright red long before he received the ball a last time and sent it straight up to catch it with one hand. Ennoshita doubled over and steadied his hands on his thighs panting heavily. Slowly blinking he pulled out of his thoughts and refocused on the gym around him.  
As Keiji rolled the ball towards the cart and went to pick up his sweater, Ennoshita plunked down on the floor and wiped the sweat from his face with his jersey. He looked up towards Keiji and smiled somewhat bashfully when he sat down beside him gingerly.

  
"Better now?" Keiji asked.

"Somewhat, yeah. Thank you."

Keiji turned towards Ennoshita and watched him silently for a little while.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's up, or not?"

Ennoshita coughed and whipped his head towards Keiji who failed to hide his mischievous little grin but schooled it into a comforting smile. He honestly didn't want to give the impression that he was trying to be mean. Genuine concern reflected in his eyes.

Letting out a particularly deep sigh Ennoshita pulled his legs up and settled his cheek on his knees. He looked at Keiji from the corner of his eye and pulled his mouth into a small grimace.

"It's the usual problem of troubled youth. Nothing's less original than unrequited crushes."

Keiji just hummed in agreement, there wasn't much he could add to _that_.

"But I'll get over it. That's how young people work. Maybe absence will make my heart grow _less_ fond."

Ennoshita sighed again and buried his nose between his knees. Keiji couldn't help but smile. He laid his hand on Ennoshitas shoulder and got up.

"I'm sure the distance and the new environment will help with the forgetting. I _have_ heard that college life is vastly different from school life.

So, how about a cup of coffee? I'll invite you, my miserable fellow ex-volleyball-captain."

Muffled chuckling came from the black clad picture of misery sitting at his feet. The head lifted until he could see eyes shining with unshed tears between short dark lashes and the cutest little smile playing around Ennoshitas lips.

"I won't say no to that. Take my mind off things a little. But let me change my shirt first."

He took Keijis offered hand and pulled himself up. It would probably be a long process of forgetting and healing but the world had more in store for him than _Tanaka Ryuunosuke_ and he knew he deserved it. He just had to convince his heart of that.


	2. Distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out a lot different than the first...
> 
> Oh well, have some actual dialogue.

"What's up with you today?"

Keiji scrutinized his companion over the rim of his teacup. Ennoshita seemed distracted, bobbing his foot on the floor of his dorm kitchen and rubbing his hands over his face occasionally. It was as if he waited for something to happen, something to appear out of nowhere or blow up in his face.

"Sorry, am I being weird? I don't really know what's going on, I just kinda feel a bit on edge right now. You don't have to tolerate me."

Ennoshita pulled his lips up in a crooked smile and blinked at Keiji, who stroked his thumb over the pattern of his teacup and blew in the steam that emerged from the tea.

"I don't mind much but I'd like to help you if I can," he said.

Just three days ago everything had been fine, the semester had started well and the first exams wouldn't be any sooner than in three months time. He had seen Ennoshita build first tentative friendships with classmates, teammates and people they had met on their last bar hop. Keiji himself was already a known face to Ennoshitas flatmates, since they often sat in the kitchen together talking about everything and nothing.

He considered Ennoshitas crush, but there hadn't been any more bouts of desperate volleyball hitting and the slightly strained face with its knitted eyebrows and pulled up chin that always appeared when Ennoshita remembered whomever he left in Miyagi had showed itself with decreasing frequency over the last two months.

There shouldn't be any reason for Ennoshita to look so lost.  
 

"Thanks but there's not much one can do. I'm just kinda out of place. And it's frustrating that I can't stop thinking about Tanaka. I mean, it's gotten better, but..."

"Tanaka?"

Ennoshitas shoulders went rigid and his leg stopped shaking. Slowly he looked up at Keijis eyes and a sheepish smile crept over his face.

"Whoops. That's one way to come out, alright.  
Yeah, you remember him, vice captain last year? Kinda loud guy with a buzz cut."

"Your ace, right?" Keiji confirmed.

The smile on Ennoshitas face was no longer sheepish, but looked rather fond. Well, that was _some_ kind of revelation. One Keiji hadn't expected at all.

"Yes, our ace. And also my unrequited crush for one and a half years. Don't fall in love with a straight guy, I tell you. He'll rip your heart out, stomp on it, real bloody, and he's not even gonna realize it." Ennoshita laughed bitterly, not realizing the significance his words held to Keiji.

Keiji tried to keep his face as impassive and unmoved as possible, thanks to years of practice an easy accomplishment.  
But inside his head his thoughts jumped back and forth frantically. Ennoshita attracted him; there was no denying it. And finally, _finally_ he was allowed to contemplate that, and not hit himself internally for being inappropriate or out of place. And _maybe_ he was even allowed to do something about it. It was just a possibility, a tiny possibility, but it was _there_ , and that hadn't really happened to him before. Keiji was pretty much giddy with excitement.  
But no, not now, not here, not when Ennoshita was still speaking this fondly about his ace, not when he hadn't even allowed himself more than two thoughts about anything. And not when Ennoshita was still this dejected.  
One didn’t recover from a ripped out and stomped on heart in two months time, as Ennoshita had so eloquently phrased it. He had to calm down and let it settle. There was nothing special, everything was as before.  
And he still didn't know what plagued Ennoshita.

  
On top of that Ennoshita now showed the nervousness that had always hindered himself from telling anyone about that similar part of himself.

"Wow, I'm sorry. That is kind of a shitty situation, true. But don't look at me so apprehensively, I don't mind.  
Did you tell him?"

Ennoshita deflated greatly. His eyes opened wide in relief and for the first time today he showed some contentment.

"At our graduation. He was at least pretty cool with it. But yeah, you've seen me afterwards. Not exactly the definition of 'fine'."

Keiji almost couldn't believe his ears. How could this boy just go out there and tell a _guy_ that he liked him? He had allowed himself to think like this and even confessed it? There seemed to be a lot more to this person that was just sitting in front of him casually, relieved by his own consolation, but no matter definitely strong enough to survive and probably strive without it just as well. And this 'more' he wanted to get to know. He really did.

"Wow, brave. You're a pretty cool guy, alright," Keiji forced out, awe still making it hard to keep up his usually neutral face.

Ennoshita laughed at him quietly and cocked his head to the side.

"I'm not gonna go there. But really, I think I'm getting better. Distance is a wondrous thing."

"Hey, that's good. I'm cheering for you. But we still haven't found out what bothers you."

With a little endearing pout Ennoshita leaned back in his chair and turned his eyes towards the ceiling in consideration. He started bobbing his foot again but slower this time. After a few seconds he looked back down at Keiji and folded his hands in front of his stomach.

"Maybe I'm just a bit lost here. I mean, I still can't orientate in this part of the city, and everything goes super fast, like I'm fast forwarding my life and can't find the button to slow it back down to normal speed. I _do_ feel happy having gotten out of my little hometown; that was about time, really, but... I don't know, everything seems a bit ugly and I don't get it. I just don't _get_ where I'm supposed to fit in here. Making a place for yourself is hard or something."

Keiji leaned his elbows on the table and smilingly took a sip of his tea.

"You're homesick, aren't you?"

This seemed to astound Ennoshita, his screwed up eyebrows furrowing even further.

"I don't know, am I? Is that what homesickness feels like?" he questioned.

Keiji grinned at him. It was worth a try.

"Hey, I've got an idea. I'll show you some places where _I_ feel at home. You know I don't live that far, I'll show you my home; let my mom cook for you. Give you the 'family feeling'. You can't really just go back to Miyagi now, right? And concerning the 'hustle' of Tokyo that uproots you country bumpkin so much, I know some places where you can relax. Just make them your new home. And if that doesn't solve the problem we can try something else."

Hesitating Ennoshita lifted his teacup to his lips. Behind his eyes flickered thoughts and considerations.

"You'd do that? Really, if it's too much trouble-"

“It really isn't. Let me treat you a little, we're friends now."

And with that Keiji returned to his tea, quietly pondering where to go with Ennoshita, and coming to terms with the fact that he was actually allowed to think about the way Ennoshita relaxed almost contently in his chair and sipped his tea with soft pink lips and downturned dark eyes full of vulnerabilities and unknown strengths.


	3. Seasons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is frickin cold where I am, so the only season you are gonna get is winter. Damn, spring, where are you?
> 
> Also, I upped the rating and added tags, since there is gonna be drinking in this chapter. Nothing excessive though!
> 
> Aaand: I have a beta now, big applause for the lovely Marge, please!

The brick tower fell shattering over the whole table, and resounding laughter filled the room while only one person -- the girl with the last brick in her hand -- groaned. A loud ' _Drink up!_ ' gushed over her shoulders as she slowly lifted her glass to her lips and downed the rest of what had been in there.

 

Keiji leaned back on the couch and nipped on his drink. He had opted out of drinking games for the night. Still, watching and listening to his friends in varying states of drunkenness was always an amusing experience; especially now that the discussion about the polish drinking game arose for the first time this evening.

 

"No, I tell you, with this many people we are never gonna make it before everyone is naked again and it is too fucking cold for that!" Someone shouted over the noise whereon somebody else screamed back that ‘gettin’ nekkid’ was the sole purpose of that stupid game anyway.

 

Not a notion Keiji could agree with but as an onlooker he preferred to keep his opinion to himself.

That game had become a recurring theme of their weekly karaoke and game nights, but it was ultimately too expensive for the students to play regularly. By now it was also much too chilly to sit around with minimal clothing on, the winter wind cut through leaky windows and doors of the dorm kitchen; making it an unpleasant, if not unhealthy, experience.

 

There were other games to pass the time; give an excuse to drink copious, but not excessive amounts of alcohol; and above all, to forget about the insane amount of homework and projects they had to work on as well as exams they had to learn for.

Half a year ago he probably wouldn't have expected himself to give in and actually participate in such trivial amusement, but now it was a welcome place to relax and come together with all kinds of people who had interesting stories to tell. Of course there also was the volleyball team (a big part of the gathered group tonight were from the team anyway), but he had fun with these people who had the same kinds of interests and hobbies as himself.

 

"Hey, 'Kaashi, what are you ruminating here for?" Ennoshita announced and let himself fall on the free space next to Keiji. He still managed to keep his full drink straight so that nothing could slop out of his cup. He clinked glasses with Keiji and settled further down towards him, crossing his legs loosely.

 

"I don't ruminate," answered Keiji, smiling . "How are we gonna get home? It's too late for the bus."

 

Ennoshita straightened slightly and turned his torso to look at the clock on the wall behind them. When he turned back to Keiji he wore a sheepish grin on his face.

 

"Whoops? I don't wanna walk home in a frickin’ snowstorm. Think we can reserve this couch for us?"

 

Keiji blinked and let his gaze sweep over the room.

 

Another girl that had taken a break from drinking games and sat back on a chair like them. She was the host today and was observing the table in the middle of the room where a heated game of 'bus driving' had started in the meantime. The rest of their group sat huddled on chairs and the other couch around the table, and watched and commented on the cards being pulled out by the game master.

Groans and cheers wafted through the air, but not loud enough to be uncomfortable. The evening looked like it would go on for another while;  it was just half past midnight. The sofa wouldn't be such a bad idea.

 

"I’m sure we can. Wait a sec," Keiji hummed and got up to fill up his drink. On his way back he grabbed a blanket from a shelf and threw it to Ennoshita.

If they were to stay in that draughty kitchen for the rest of the night, he preferred to spend it cosy and warm under a soft blanket.

 

As he sat down, Keiji noticed Ennoshita observing him with narrowed eyes and pinched lips.

 

“What is it?” he asked.

 

“I still can’t believe you came out to me _six weeks_ after I told you I was bi, you friggin’ ass. Whyyy?”

 

With his now additionally pinched eyebrows, Ennoshita looked like he was trying to impersonate a mouse, and Keiji burst out laughing. Trying to keep his drink straight and wiping away the tears that gathered in his eyes he wheezed.

 

“Why do you always bring this up at your third Long Island?”

 

Ennoshita, still with an adorably pinched face, turned his head away and huffed.

 

“Because I still haven’t gotten an answer.”

 

Keiji sighed, took the blanket and draped it over his legs pulling his feet up on the couch under the warmth of the fluffy fabric.

 

“There isn’t really one, it just didn’t happen. You know now, aren’t you satisfied with that?”

 

Ennoshita laid his head back on the couch and breathed out, relaxing into the cushions.

 

“Yeah. Hey, gimme some of that blanket, ‘kay?”

 

Keiji pulled part of the blanket out from under his legs and draped it over Ennoshita’s. He leaned his head on the offered shoulder, and focused his attention back to the table and their drinking companions.

 

“Thank god that I opted out, I don’t think I would have survived driving a bus right now...”

 

"Hmmm, me neither," Ennoshita hummed, closing his eyes and stroking the blanket over his thighs absentmindedly.

  
Peace enveloped the both of them gently and made Keiji feel like he was lying under warm spring sunrays while the harsh reality of winter winds and blinding snow were locked out by the shouts and laughter of their friends, the grounding feeling of Ennoshita beside him, and the warmth that spread through his body every time he took a sip from his cup.


	4. Unrequited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This... took some time. The prompt was hard to fill at this point in the story and from Akaashis perspective.  
> Listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K75A16HRdBY

**From: Tanaka Ryuunosuke**

Hey Ennoshita.

Ill be in Tokyo next week, can I come visit u some time?

 

**To: Tanaka Ryuunosuke**

Hi! Yeah you can. Wanna talk a bit?

 

**From: Tanaka Ryuunosuke**

Ya guessed it. Cool, contact you agn when Im there

CU

  


Sighing, Ennoshita let himself fall back on his bed and his cell phone slipped from his slack hand onto the covers.

 

"What is it?"

 

Keiji, looking up from his place on the floor, surrounded by books and notepads, lifted one curious eyebrow.

He could see the muscles in Ennoshita's toned forearms move lightly under the skin as he flexed his fingers. The short, soft hair there gleamed golden in the sunlight that poured in through the dirty window behind Ennoshita's bed. He wished he could reach up and stroke it so it would stick up every which way.

 

Ennoshita lifted his head to look at Keiji and catch his eye.

 

"Tanaka's coming over here next week. We're gonna talk."

 

“Oh... Is that okay?” Keiji asked carefully.

 

They had almost completed their first semester, and Ennoshita hadn’t seen his longtime crush in about half a year. Keiji wasn’t really sure that there was no affection for Tanaka left in his friend; that time and distance had done their deed and made him forget. 

He tried not to get his hopes up too high, but Ennoshita smiled at him and let his head plop back down on the bed.

 

“Yeah, it’s okay. I’m pretty sure I’m over it, thanks for asking.”

 

Keiji hummed quietly in assent. 

He tried to imagine how it felt to love somebody and to know that it would never be possible to act on it. Wanting to be near, to touch, to hold, but knowing that expressing that would mean rejection. 

He tried to imagine how Ennoshita had coped with the fear that his confession could not only be met with rejection, but also with disgust, repulsion and hate. To know all this and still have the courage to get it out in the open seemed unthinkable. 

None of Keiji's admiration for the boy had diminished since the day he had met him in that gymnasium, frustratedly hitting volleyballs against a wall, but nonetheless determined to start a new chapter in his life.

 

Ennoshita had started quietly humming a tune and weaving his hand lazily through the air. Leaning his head against the side of the mattress, Keiji poked the leg that dangled from the bed in front of his face.

 

“What are you humming?”

 

Ennoshita stopped and raised his upper body resting on his elbows behind him. He grinned at Keiji.

 

“It’s a pop song I used to listen to when I was in high school. I just remembered that I haven’t heard it in ages. Wanna test your English skills?”

 

Keiji laughed.

 

“Just because I’m not as perfect as you, Mr. Foreign Movies, doesn’t mean my English is bad.”

 

Ennoshita got up from his bed and rummaged around on his unbelievably messy desk. Keiji watched his back moving under the white T-shirt he was wearing. There wasn’t excessively much muscle on Ennoshita, but enough to let Keiji know that moving his fingers over that back or those legs would be an incredibly pleasing experience. Preferably in an exposed state.

 

“A-ha!” Ennoshita exclaimed and pulled his battered iPod out from under a stack of paper. He turned around on one leg and crouched down in front of Keiji crossing his legs and thrusting the tangled mess of earbuds that had been plugged in the device in Keijis direction with an ‘Untangle this.’ He switched it on and went right to looking for the song. 

As soon as Keiji had finished his task, Ennoshita took the end with the plug from him and connected it with the device.

 

“Put them in,” he nodded at Keiji.

 

Doing as he was told, Keijis ears were flooded with a quiet melody only carried by a guitar and a high male voice. The words were sung slowly and clearly, Keiji had no problems understanding every word.

 

_And I hate to say I love you_

_When it's so hard for me_

_And I hate to say I want you_

_When you make it so clear_

_You don't want me_

_I'd never ask you 'cause deep down I'm certain I know what you'd say_

_You'd say, "I'm sorry, believe me, I love you but not in that way."_

_And I hate to say I need you_

_I'm so reliant_

_I'm so dependent_

_I'm such a fool_

_When you're not there,_

_I find myself singing the blues._

_Can't bear,_

_Can't face the truth_

_You will never know that feeling_

_You will never see through these eyes_

_I'd never ask you 'cause deep down I'm certain I know what you'd say_

_You'd say, "I'm sorry, believe me, I love you but not in that way."_

_You'd say, "I'm sorry, believe me, I love you but not in that way."_

 

When the song started playing anew Keiji pulled the earbuds out. Ennoshita had been watching him throughout the song and now smiled a sad little smile at him.

 

“To be honest, it used to make me cry. But now… Not at all? It just doesn’t fit anymore.”

 

His smile widened to a honest grin and he switched the iPod off, throwing it behind himself.

 

Keiji furrowed his brow.

 

“It doesn’t really fit anyway? I mean, you did confess, right?” he asked quietly.

 

“That was more an act of defiance, but yeah, it’s not like I had much to lose anyway. I mean I came here, he stayed there. That's it.”

 

Ennoshita shrugged and Keiji groaned bending his head down.

 

“You are fucking amazing, goddamn. how can you be so...”

 

With an embarrassed laugh Ennoshita waved his hand in front of Keiji, trying to stop him.

 

“Come on, I’m not that great. Let’s get back to work! We still gotta answer like a hundred questions for today.”

 

Keiji came back up and shook his head. He groaned again, but took the notepad he had abandoned back on his lap and searched for his pen.

 

“Fine, fine. I hate this shit. Is it really still that many questions?”

 

Ennoshita was an amazing guy and Keiji couldn’t be convinced otherwise. His exaggerated modesty only contributed to that fact. 

And that he was literally the cutest guy Keiji had seen in forever was just an added bonus. Welcome, but not necessary.

 

 


	5. Texting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm late today, gah...

Bright sunrays fell on the backside of Keiji’s eyelids and warmed every exposed surface of his body. He laid in the garden of his parents’ house, trying to relax and enjoy the spring weather.

His peace, however, was disturbed by the dinging of his phone in his jeans pocket.

He sat up from the lounger and blinked rapidly, getting used to the brightness. Reading the received message proved difficult in the sun and he had to wait a minute for his eyes to adjust.

  
**From: Konoha Akinori**  
Yo Akaashi  
hows it goin? Im back home, my moms killin me. Thought vacation was for chillin… (¬_¬)

  
Keiji snorted and laid down on his stomach to answer.

  
**To: Konoha Akinori**  
hi  
Im fine, bored in my moms garden ;P

  
An answer to his text came almost immediately.

  
**From: Konoha Akinori**  
WHAAAT? U ass  
Also: Y not with ur bf?

  
Keiji furrowed his brow. Konoha had visited him last week while Chikara had been there before he left for Miyagi to visit his family. He had watched the two of them interacting with great amusement and had set his mind on convincing Keiji that his feelings for Chikara were reciprocated.

  
**To: Konoha Akinori**  
Told u, i still dont have a boyfriend…

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
YET  
TECHNICALLY  
u chicken

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
hey!  
it aint tht easy!

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
cmon, ive seen u 2 last week  
SMITTEN  
both of u  
almost disgusting, rly  
wish my gf looked at me like tht

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
hows she anyway?

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
hohoho, no changin the subject now  
shes fine but r u rly serious

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
abt what?

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
tht u dont see how he looks at u!  
cmon  
ur the 1 of us whos good at reading ppl

  
Keiji sighed and let his head fall down. Konoha was nothing if not persistent and he had the ability to get under people’s skin.

Keiji knew that Chikara sometimes watched him out of the corner of his eye and his smiles looked less tired when he knew that Keiji was around, but that didn’t have to mean anything. He couldn’t let his wishes cloud his vision of reality.

  
**To: Konoha Akinori**  
tfgrufgrrtjmkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkh

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
???  
didya type with ur nose?

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
with my forehead, sorry

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
no but rly: whats up with ur sense of self?  
ur usually better at this  
i mean it

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
my selfconfidence is okay  
i just cant let my wishes cloud m vision  
and yours either

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
im not gonna mention the incident  
no, i am  
are u still hung up on that?

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
there was no incident.  
and no, that has nothing to do with any of this, okay?

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
fine fine ill leave u alone  
but please: watch him alittle closer next time, k?  
its like he comes alive when ur there  
not like from the dead  
but like wakin up or smth

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
OKAY i will  
satisfied?

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
Yea.  
apropos waking dead: wanna watch tht new zombie movie?

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
sure  
u free this evening?

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
ya  
moms callin, gotta go clean the garage (ノ-_-)ノ ~┻━┻  
call ya later

**To: Konoha Akinori**  
alright have fun

**From: Konoha Akinori**  
ha. ha. ass  
( ︶︿︶)_╭∩╮

  
Sighing, Keiji got up from his lounger and went inside to throw his cell phone on his nightstand.

He flopped on his bed and stared at the ceiling.  
Konoha had seemed so sure of himself. No matter what he had said, he was usually just as apt at reading people as Keiji. Maybe even more so.

And it wasn’t like he didn’t have a point. If Keiji really concentrated on it, he could name instances when Chikara had perked up in his presence, or situations where he seemed attuned only to Keiji’s actions. But at what point did this exceed friendship and veer into the territory of romance?

Chikaras meeting with Tanaka had apparently been pretty unexciting and won him a friend back, but he hadn’t mentioned it any further. Keiji was fairly sure that Chikara really had no feelings left for Tanaka, but was that enough to look for somebody else already?

He groaned and turned on his side. Ruminating really didn’t do him any good, so he decided to go on a run. Proper physical exercise would guarantee a free mind, that much he knew for sure.

He got up, changed into sweatpants and left his phone where it was. Chikara had lent him his old iPod with a selection of music artists he was supposed to check out. He put the earbuds in while jogging out of his house and smiled. Exchanging music had been a good idea.

  
When he came back sweaty and exhausted, he found his phone blinking with a new message from Kuroo. Sometimes Kuroo would check up on him via text or they would meet somewhere and catch up on what had been happening in their respective lives.

After a short refreshing shower he took his phone, plopped down on his beanbag chair smiling to himself and continued to towel his hair dry with one hand.

  
**From: Kuroo Tetsurou**  
Yoohooo Akaashi! （〜^∇^)〜✿*☆❤❀*✲ﾟ*  
U back home?  
Hows ur boyfriend?

  
With a shout Keiji threw his phone across the room. Thankfully it landed on his bed between his pillows but at this moment Keiji wouldn’t have minded if it had shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

He buried his head between his knees and was very tempted to also pull at his hair, but at some point the theatrics would have to stop. After a few seconds of rubbing his head he gave up and just slumped down whimpering.

“Whyyyyy?”

From outside his room he could hear his mother’s inquiring “Keiji, darling, are you okay?”

“I’m fine mom, it’s nothing!” he answered lifting his head only marginally and letting it fall down again immediately.

After staying in this position for a few minutes, Keiji was annoyed at himself enough to get up and retrieve his phone.

He did not feel mentally ready for another conversation like the one he’d had before his run so he pressed the call button on the still opened message and, while waiting for the call to connect, tried to prepare a few sentences explaining to Kuroo that no, he did in fact _not_ have a boyfriend, and ‘yes, I know how Chikara looks at me, just give us some time, dammit!’


	6. Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today I learned that too much anticipation is a bad thing for writing...  
> Oh well, here it is, EXTREME SAPPINESS INCOMING, like seriously, I didn't know I had it in me.
> 
> And please listen to this ON CUE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww7V4MC3_k0  
> (and imagine a *slightly* deeper voice ^^)

_"Akaashi-kun? Are you asleep?"_

Airily spoken words floated around the dimly lit kitchen, yet Chikara did not lift his head but stayed sitting slouched on the edge of the well worn kitchen table, looking down at his crossed arms.

Keiji wondered why; it was as if Chikara hadn't heard the vaguely familiar sounding voice.

“Hey Chikara, do you know who that was?” Again, Chikara didn’t react at all, only listening to the thoughts that occupied his head.

What he did hear, however, was the water boiling in the kettle, and Keiji watched him get up to pour it into his prepared cast-iron teapot with a little peaceful smile. Observing Chikara and his tea ritual always made innumerable tiny bubbles rise in Keiji’s stomach until they popped behind his rib cage and left him reeling.

_"Akaashi-kun. Wake up!"_

Someone shook Keiji’s shoulder and he opened his eyes slowly, tiny bubbles still residing in his stomach, but gradually fading as he returned to the reality of an empty lecture hall.

Beside him, with a hand still on his shoulder, stood Chikara’s friend and ex-teammate Narita Kazuhito, now regarding him with a wide amused smile.

"Was your lecture that boring?" he asked laughing while Keiji checked his phone for the time, trying to regain his footing in the waking world. Luckily the lecture couldn't have been over more than five minutes ago and everyone had just been quick leaving on this rainy friday afternoon.

Keiji answered Narita’s grin and question with a shrug and stuffed his unused notebook in his bag.

"What brings you here? Don't you study in Sendai?" Keiji asked getting up and stepping towards the exit.

Naritas grin widened until it looked almost mischievous as he fell into step with Keiji and he answered casually, "I do, but Chikara asked me for a favour and I'm here to pick you up."

"Oh, oookay? Where are we going?"

"You'll see, it's not far." Narita held the building door open for Keiji and outside they were greeted by frigid air and a drizzle that settled on Keiji’s messy hair and wrinkled nose. At least he didn't feel very sleepy anymore with the wind cutting through his thin jacket.

The pair crossed the campus with pulled up shoulders and swift strides until they reached the music building. From the outside it looked small and a bit rundown but the inside was warm; well kept, and the rooms were bigger and more numerous than seemed possible.

Keiji hadn't been in there since the beginning of his studies here, when he had taken a tour around the most important faculties.

He realized that Narita apparently knew exactly where to go, navigating easily through winded corridors and past many identical looking doors. Suddenly he stopped in front of one of the doors and grinned back at Keiji.

“Please come in,” he said, opening the door and showing Keiji in with a sway of his arm.

The first thing he noticed when he entered was Chikara sitting on the closed lid of a grand piano, swinging his legs slightly and worrying his lower lip with his teeth. On the piano stool in front of the keyboard sat Kinoshita Hisashi, grinning at Keiji just like his best friend Narita had.

The window behind the piano was covered with translucent curtains which gave the room an ethereal atmosphere, pale streams of light reflecting from the shiny parquet of the mostly empty room.

Narita closed the door behind them and crossed the room to gingerly sit on the stool next to Kinoshita, who put his hands on the keys and looked towards Chikara as if waiting for a sign.

“Uhhh, Chikara, what is going on?” Keiji asked, raising his eyebrows questioningly and advancing further into the room.

“Stay there,” Chikara raised a hand, “I have to tell you something and Hisashi’s helping me.”

All nervousness that had seemed to reside in Chikaras body disappeared as he sat up straighter, his shoulders falling relaxed and the corners of his mouth lifting up while his eyes -- his beautiful, enchanting eyes -- fixed on Keiji and _gleamed_.

Chikara lowered the hand that he had lifted to stop Keiji in his tracks to tap lightly on the lid beside his hip and then clasped his hands in his lap.

Responding to his sign Kinoshita lowered his hands on the keys and started to play a delicate jazzy tune that was soon joined by Chikaras humming and then by his impeccable english singing.

Keiji had not known Chikara as a passionate or even skilled singer, but the way his voice modulated around the soft, slow melody was absolutely stunning and rooted him to the spot. He couldn’t move his gaze from Chikara, who shifted only a little to breathe and always kept the slight smile on his lips. The way the expressions on his face changed in accordance to the words he sang enthralled Keiji on an even deeper level than the actual lyrics themselves.

  
_Hmmmmm, I've got a crush on someone,_   
_Guess who_   
_I've got a crush on you, sweetie pie._   
_All the day and nighttime, hear me sigh_   
_I never had the least notion_   
_That I could fall with so much emotion._

_Could you coo_   
_Could you care_   
_For a cunning cottage we could share?_   
_The world will pardon my mush_   
_Cause I've got a crush, my baby, on you._

_How glad a million laddies_   
_From millionaires to caddies_   
_Would be to capture me._   
_But you had such persistence,_   
_You wore down my resistance:_   
_I fell, and it was swell._

_You're my big and brave and handsome Romeo_   
_How I won you, I shall never, never know._   
_It's not that you're attractive_   
_but, oh, my heart grew active_   
_When you came into view._

_I've got a crush on you, sweetie pie._   
_All the day and nighttime, hear me sigh_   
_I never had the least notion_   
_That I could fall with so much emotion._

_Could you coo_   
_Could you care_   
_For a cunning cottage we could share?_   
_The world will pardon my mush_   
_Cause I've got a crush, my baby, on you._

  
Slowly a smile widened on Keiji’s face, his fingers twitched at his sides but couldn’t settle on anything other than lightly clenched fists.

After Kinoshita had let the last note fade away he closed the lid over the keyboard and got up, pulling Narita with him. On their way out both boys patted Keiji’s back and winked at him. He watched them leave until the door fell closed with a quiet ‘pof’.

Silence enveloped them and Keiji looked back at Chikara who hadn’t moved. He willed his feet to budge and stopped only when he stood directly in front of the piano, grinning.

The way the light entered the room behind Chikara made him look somewhat angelic; an impression that was heightened by his mirthful expression and the slight cock of his head.

“There were some inaccuracies in that song, don’t you think?” Keiji asked and carefully laid his hands on Chikara’s knees.

“That’s true. You’re _incredibly_ attractive.”

Keiji laughed. “Oh god, am I really awake? Have you really just done what I think you did?”

He didn’t feel like he could trust his senses right now.  
Sure, over the last few weeks he _had_ picked up on the hunches his friends had insisted were signs of Chikara’s affection. He had become pretty confident that the fondness he felt for the boy was reciprocated, but this situation was just too outlandish and dreamlike. Nothing here could connect him with reality.

“If you believe that I just serenaded you with the help of my friend who plays in a jazz band and confessed my undying love for you, then you’re right. That just happened.”

Keiji felt a bit like he was floating. The bubbles from earlier were back in his stomach and this time they didn’t rise up, but rather concentrated behind his navel and formed a strong _pull_ that had no real direction. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant feeling, but it wasn’t uncomfortable either.

Still, any grasp on reality appeared unreachable.

“Your ‘ _undying love_ ’ for me? We’ll have to see how that plays out in a few years.”

Chikara snorted, honest to god snorted, and threw his head down. But he seemingly didn’t want to lose eye contact with Keiji for even a second, so he brought his head back up and just shook it lightly.

Keiji watched his smooth hair fly and his sharp eyes shine.

“Shut up and kiss me,” Chikara finally laughed and bent down, fisting his hands in Keiji’s shirt.

And there it was, all semblance of a dream blown away as his lips touched Chikara’s—Chikaras pink lips, which were often worried by teeth or burned by another cup of scalding tea.  
Then there was more: his fists, pulling Keiji towards him on his T-shirt, his knees, pressing hard against his ribs, his thighs, lying warm and strong under Keiji’s palms, and his scent—oh his scent—reminding him of warm afternoons, sitting on couches, discussions on movies; enveloping him and grounding him at the same time.  
The soft and warm caress of their contact embraced him with an unknown absoluteness and linked him inextricably to this moment and place in reality.


	7. Graduation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it!  
> Last drabble this week and still on time, yay!
> 
> Thanks again to everyone who commented daily, that REALLY kept me going!  
> And of course Marge, my loveliest amazing beta! :D
> 
> (Please feel free to ask if there are any open questions ^^)

“Oh god, I’m beat,” Chikara groaned and flopped face first onto Keiji’s bed, still in his dress shirt and tie. Keiji closed the door behind them and stepped to the bed, lightly kicking Chikara’s socked feet that stuck in the air.

 

“Move over, lazy ass.”

 

Chikara suddenly turned around and shot up to pull Keiji down by his tie.

 

They both fell down on the mattress in a big and uncomfortable pile, but Chikara giggled, not at all disappointed that his surprise kiss-attack had failed because of Keiji’s lacking sense of balance.

 

Keiji sighed, “Let’s at least get out of our belts and ties first, okay?”

He pried his tie out of Chikaras grip, got rid of said tie and belt and threw both off the bed.

 

Chikara hadn’t bothered to move, but continued to watch Keiji from lidded eyes. His gaze had seemed to be fixed on Keiji for an unusual amount of time today; if that was even possible considering their graduation ceremony had been a hectic and busy affair. Keiji supposed he knew why he was being watched so attentively.

 

He turned on his back, freeing himself from Chikara’s tangled legs and spreading his arms to a T.

 

“Bokuto was there.” Keiji smiled while staring at the ceiling.

 

Chikara moved himself upwards a little so he could lay his head on Keiji's shoulder and put his arm across Keiji’s chest.

 

“Took him long enough to come around,” he mumbled and linked his ankle around Keiji's.

 

“Five years. I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.”

 

Chikara turned his head to press his lips against Keiji’s chest.

 

“Told you, who’s important will accept you; if not -- their loss,” he murmured.

 

Keiji could feel the lips on his chest widening into a smile and closed his eyes.

 

“But _god_ , was he awkward with me. He _could_ ’ve figured you got yourself a boyfriend by now, it’s not like you look like a caveman,” Chikara huffed and Keiji had to laugh.

 

Bokuto had indeed not in the least known how to deal with Chikara. He had been all uptight and jumpy, trying to make a good impression, but it was simply too far out of his comfort zone.

 

Still… He had been there. After years of silence and disapproval he had reached out to Keiji and apologized. Keiji was sure that Konoha and Kuroo had played a big part in this and he promised to properly thank them later.

 

He felt like he could melt into the mattress with contentment.

 

Surrounded by caring friends and a perfect boyfriend, with a degree in hand and a head full of dreams for a bright future, he laid down and let the feeling wash over him.

 

“Hey Keiji?”

 

“Chika?”

 

“Are you happy?”

 

Keiji lifted his head trying to look at Chikara’s face, but he hadn’t moved; face still pressed in Keiji’s shirt and breathing evenly. He kissed the crown of Chikara’s head and lifted his hand to thread his fingers through the short hair over Chikaras nape.

 

“Yes. Very,“ he answered and laid his head back down, pillowed by his unoccupied hand.

 

“How about you?”

 

“Mmhmm, me too.”

 

Chikara fell silent again. They laid like this for a few minutes until Chikara took a deep breath.

 

“Do -- do you want to move in together?”

 

Keiji took his hand out of Chikara’s hair and slowly stroked down his back. He hadn’t expected this question today, but it had been in the back of his mind as well. Sooner or later one of them had to voice it and now was actually pretty much the perfect time. He smiled; Chikara had beat him to it.

 

“Yes, I do.”

 

“Good.”

 

They stayed like this for a while, basking in the presence of the other, breathing calmly.

 

In front of them laid an eternity of uncertainties, new impressions, joys, probably disappointments; everything he could imagine and more. And Chikara was there with him; to share his life and all the things that happened in it.

 

“You smell so good, “ Keiji heard from the direction of his chest.

 

He laughed quietly, pulling Chikara up, and peering into his eyes. Those eyes that had enchanted him years ago with their incredibly smooth brown colour, framed by heavy lids with soft -- so amazingly soft -- short lashes.

 

Keiji cupped Chikara’s cheeks with his hands and touched his forehead with his own. He whispered.

 

“I love you.”

 

Chikara smiled then, wide and happy.

 

“I love you, too.”


End file.
